Chapter 3 introduces one of the world's oldest continuing civilizations, India. It explores the formation of Indian culture, society, and religion. This foundation still influences India today. Only China (see Chapter 4) has a comparably long history of cultural continuity. These exercises examine the early history of the Indian subcontinent.

Helpful Hints:

• You may want to begin by printing this page. As you explore different sites, use the printout to refer back to the instructions and questions detailed in each activity.
  
  
• On many web sites you can increase the size of the images by clicking on them. Whenever possible, use the larger images to examine fine details in photographs.
  
  

Activity One:

• As McKay, A History of World Societies (Fifth Edition) states, the Indian subcontinent is as large as western Europe. Study Map 3.1 on page 60. Pay close attention to topography — mountains, rivers, oceans. Do not concern yourself yet with political boundaries.
  
  
• Go to National Geographic: Map of Asia. Locate the Indian subcontinent. What geographical features separate the subcontinent from the rest of Asia? Why is it called a subcontinent?
  
  
• To place Indian geography in the context of Chapters 1 and 2, locate Mesopotamia, Egypt, Anatolia, and Persia. What geographical features encourage communication and contact between these areas and India? What geographical features discourage communication and contact between them? (Be sure to consider all possible means of communication available in this ancient time period.) You might also want to view the map at Indian Ocean — Dhow Ports for some hints.
  
  

Activity Two:

• According to page 59 of McKay, A History of World Societies (Fifth Edition), which modern nations have inherited the tradition explored in this chapter? Locate these nations at Political Map of India.
  
  
• Look at political maps of India from 250 B.C., 400 A.D., 1000 A.D.. (note that all the names on this map refer to weak regional kingdoms), and 1795 A.D. These maps reveal that the Indian subcontinent has no strong tradition of political unity or continuity. The first two maps show two relatively large empires. The third map reveals a subcontinent divided into many small kingdoms. The last map shows the influence of foreign elements into Indian politics. Despite this political fragmentation, India has maintained its cultural unity.
  
  

Activity Three:

• Chapter 3 notes that part of India's remarkable cultural continuity revolves around religion. The predominate religion in the area for the past two thousand years has been Hinduism. Like the religions of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, Hinduism is a polytheistic religion. To explore the evolution of Hinduism, go to Chronology: India. Identify when the Rig Veda, the Upanishads, and the Mahabharata appeared. List their development in chronological order, including their dates.
  
  
• Now go to Vedas and Upanishads and Bhagvad Gita. What do these texts have in common? How are they different? Do they claim to be mutually exclusive? How did they give rise to the polytheistic nature of Hinduism?
  
  

Activity Four:

• Unlike most ancient religions, Hinduism still has millions of adherents today. Go to Hinduism, the World's Oldest Religion. (Be sure to click on the next page.) As you read, keep a list of reasons that Hinduism has survived and flourished. For example, is Hinduism an exclusive religion like Christianity or Islam? In other words, does it demand that its followers reject other religions?
  
  
• Choose what you believe are the two or three most important reasons that Hinduism has survived for so long. Write a paragraph explaining why you chose these reasons.
  
  

Activity Five:

• Hinduism and Judaism (see Chapter 2) are profoundly different, but they do share one characteristic: they both spawned other major religions. From the Judaic tradition emerged Christianity and Islam in the first millennium A.D. Two religions sprang from Hinduism at a much earlier date. Review pages 69–73 in McKay, A History of World Societies (Fifth Edition), and list these two religions and when they emerged. Try to identify any historical developments that might have led to the acceptance of these religions among people living on the Indian subcontinent. Consult Aryan and Vedic Age and Rise of Religions and the Emergence of the State for further clues.
  
  

Activity Six:

• Go to Fundamentals of Jainism. Read the information in the first eight links — Lord Mahavir and Jain Religion through Meaning of Astra Prakari Puja. Now go to Introduction of Buddhism. Read the information at links 2, 4, 5, 7, and 8. After reviewing these sites, make a chart that lists aspects of each religion that are similar to Hinduism and aspects that are different. Then write a paragraph explaining why all three religions were able to coexist on the Indian subcontinent. How do they all reflect a common philosophy or cosmology?
  
  

Activity Seven:

• By the time of Ashoka's reign over the Mauryan Empire (322–ca 188 B.C.), India had a strong cultural foundation and would soon start to influence neighboring regions. Review the maps in the first and second activities. Now go to Map: Spread of World Religions. What civilizations and cultures did India influence? How was this transmission of ideas possible? The answer to the second question will be a consistent theme throughout this course.